From home to campus: The homesickness and adaptation experience of migrant students

Ica Purnama (), Vika Rahmawati (), Dira Okta Saraswati (), Melysah Ramadona (), Lentera Langit (), Ghina Reftantia (), Vieronica Varbi Sununianti () and Elita Aidillah ()
Additional contact information
Ica Purnama: Universitas Sriwijaya
Vika Rahmawati: Universitas Sriwijaya
Dira Okta Saraswati: Universitas Sriwijaya
Melysah Ramadona: Universitas Sriwijaya
Lentera Langit: Universitas Sriwijaya
Ghina Reftantia: Universitas Sriwijaya
Vieronica Varbi Sununianti: Universitas Sriwijaya
Elita Aidillah: Universitas Sriwijaya

Priviet Social Sciences Journal, 2026, vol. 6, issue 6, 201-215

Abstract: Educational mobility encourages many students to leave their home areas to continue their studies in higher education. The move not only presents academic opportunities but also poses various social and emotional challenges, one of which is homesickness. This study aims to analyze the experiences of homesickness and social adaptation among migrant students at Sriwijaya University, Indralaya Campus. The research uses a qualitative approach with phenomenological methods. The data were obtained through in-depth interviews with five migrant students who were selected purposively based on their experience of living far from their families and having experienced homesickness. Data was analyzed using an interactive model through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and a conclusion drawn. The results of the study showed that homesickness is experienced in the form of longing for family, feelings of loneliness due to the loss of a familiar social environment, culture shock when entering a new environment, and difficulty living life independently. This experience is part of the social adaptation process that takes place when students enter a social environment that is different from their home region. Adaptation is carried out through changes in daily behavior, the development of new social relationships, involvement in student organizations, and the process of forming an identity as a more independent individual. The findings of the study show that homesickness is not only an emotional response to separation from home but also an important part of the process of social adjustment and maturation of migrant students.

Keywords: homesickness; social adaptation; migrant students; social identity; phenomenology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://journal.privietlab.org/download.php?id=13324 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:prv:pssjpv:1960

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://journal.priv ... SJ/article/view/1960

DOI: 10.55942/pssj.v6i6.1960

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Priviet Social Sciences Journal from Privietlab Research Center
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Mochammad Fahlevi ().